Apply by 1/31/20 for Capital Project Funding
(See submittal instructions at the bottom of this announcement)
Federal FY20 Loan and State FY22 Grant from Water Quality Financing Administration (WQFA)
Water Quality State Revolving Loan Fund – Low interest rate loan and loan principal forgiveness (if eligible) for publicly-owned treatment works projects and publicly or privately-owned non-treatment works projects.
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund – Low interest rate loan and loan principal forgiveness (if eligible) for public or privately-owned drinking water projects.
Bay Restoration Fund Wastewater Program - Grant funds for
• ENR upgrade at major or minor wastewater treatment plants
• Improvements to existing wastewater conveyance systems
• Sewer extension to connect homes on septic systems to a BNR/ENR wastewater treatment plant
• Nitrogen reducing BAT upgrade at shared community septic systems
• Stormwater (MS4) projects by local governments with a system of charges
Water Supply Financial Assistance - Grant funds not to exceed $1.5 million for drinking projects at publicly-owned facilities, based on system size, compliance, and affordability.
If your project will be ready-to-proceed to construction by December 2021, please complete a separate application for each capital project* for which you are seeking financial assistance and submit to MDE per instructions provided in the application. If you previously applied for financial assistance and your project was only partially or not funded, a new/updated application is required.
* Applicants with stormwater projects to meet MS4 permits are encouraged to submit multiple BMP projects that will start construction within 12 – 18 months of notification of funding as a “program” of projects using a single funding application, as opposed to submitting individual BMP projects in separate applications.
Projects in construction prior to MDE’s verification of competitive procurement and compliance with all programmatic requirements will not be funded. Do not submit applications for projects in construction that have not already have had these reviews completed by MDE.
State FY22 Comprehensive Flood Management Grant (FMG)
During the 2019 Session of the Maryland General Assembly, HB 428/SB 269 passed which specifically requires at least $3 million in both fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2022, and for fiscal year 2023 at least $2 million must be appropriated.
Funding may only be awarded to Counties and Municipalities. The state FMG grant will provide up to 75% of a project, or if federal funds are participating in the project cost, the FMG grant can provide 50% of the match requirement. Additional information including ranking criteria can be found here.
Notification that your project was selected will be made after the 2021 Maryland General Assembly approves the State’s capital budget. Awards will be made after the Maryland Board of Public Works approval.
Submit two (2) signed hard copies and one CD or flash drive of the complete application, attachments, all supporting documents, and provide a FIRMette created from FEMA’s Map Service Center website, a map from our outreach website, or a GIS map with the location of the project clearly identified.
State FY21 Clean Water Commerce Act Grant
The Clean Water Commerce Act (CWCA) passed by the Maryland General Assembly during the 2017 Session (SB314/HB417) expanded the uses of the Bay Restoration Fund to include the costs associated with the purchase of cost-effective nitrogen, phosphorus, or sediment load reductions in support of the State’s efforts to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay, not to exceed $6,000,000 in fiscal year 2019, and $10,000,000 in fiscal years 2020 and 2021. The nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment load reductions purchased cannot come from the agriculture sector and must be created by July 1, 2017. MDE may enter into any contract until June 30, 2021. The contract may last as long as the expected life of the environmental practice resulting from nutrient load reductions.
The Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) invites you to send proposals for FY 2021 funding for nutrient and sediment reduction purchasing. Notification that your project was selected will be made after the 2020 Maryland General Assembly approves the State’s capital budget. Awards will be made after the Maryland Board of Public Works approval.
Hard copies of applications for any of the above programs must be received by 1/31/20
Mail or deliver to:
Ms. Deborah Thompson
Water Quality Financing Administration
Maryland Department of the Environment
Montgomery Park Business Center
1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 515
Baltimore, MD 21230